Rein lay sprawled on the cold stone floor, the weight of the dragon's words pressing heavily upon his mind. He had come so far; he had killed so many. Now all that remained was defeat: his body ached, his spirit was broken, and the crystal had faded, its pulse weakening.
The dragon stood over him in silence. "I know what you're feeling. I know the anger, the bitterness, the desire for vengeance. But it has consumed you. You are no longer the man you once were. You have become something else—something hollow. Something driven by a power that was never meant for mortals."
Rein gasped loudly for breath. Screaming, biting, destroying were foremost on his mind. But the dragon's words cut through the chaos of his thoughts; they were sharp and unyielding.
"You have a choice," the dragon said calmly, pressing on. "You may continue on this path, destroying the last of your enemies, and become like the very thing you sought to destroy. Or ... you can let go of your rage. Let go of the hatred that has bound you. And perhaps, in doing so, find the man you once were."
Rein's heart was pounding. The only purpose he had was connected to the crystal, the very power flowing in it. What remained without the power, without the hatred? Dust, a broken man, went lost into time?
He reached for the crystal, his fingers trembling as he held it aloft. Its power was waning, along with the last thread of his connection to the Spirit of Revenge. He could feel it: the darkness was pulling away. But with it came a curious feeling—an emotion he had not felt in years.
Hope.
As Rein made his decision, the dragon's eyes glinted with an understanding as old as time. He let the crystal drop from his hand, watching it as it shattered into a thousand splinters upon the ground.
"You chose wisely," spoke the dragon, and relief laced its tone.